Folding-machine.



R. Ci SEYMUU'R.

FOLDING MACHINE.

APPLmATIo-N HLM) MM s, 190s.

Patente Apri 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l LJ www @Nw R. C. SEYMOUR.

FOLDING MACHINE.

APELIGATION FILED MAY s, 1908.

11,0. SEYMOUR. FOLDING MAHNE.

APPLlGATION FILED MAY 6, 1908."

Patented. A911295, MM2

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED sTATEs 'ENT Trio.

RALPHYC. SEYMOUR, OF LAROHMONT, NEW lcontraint, or CHICAGO, ILLINOI FOLDING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1908. Serial No. 431,252.

sheets supplied to the folder from a printing press or other suitable source of supply, although in other of its features it is applicable to folders of 'other kinds.

Objects ofthe invention are to provide for neat, accurate and very rapid folding; to provide for smooth and uniform handling of the material, without slacking, straining or other abrupt movements thereof, and without rubbing or other injurious Contact of the material with the folding devices or Otherwise; to provide mechanism therefor simple in construction and simple and reliable in operation; to effect economy of movement in the parts of such a mechariism in proportion to the product secured; to provide such a mechanism which is adapted to receive a web from a rotary or other press and deliver it in folded sheets. These and ,other objects of invention will in part be obviousand will in part be more fully setY forth herein.

The invention consists in the novel parts, combinations, and arrangements and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and forming a -part hereof, lillustrate one embodiment of the invention, the same serving in connection with the description herein to explain the principles of the invent-ion.

Ofthedrawings: Figure 1 is a sectional elevation Of a machine constructed in part in accordance with the principles of the invention and is taken-on the line A-B of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken substantially .on the line -D of Fig. 1. Figs.` 4, 5, 6 and 7 are views, somewhat diagrammatic, illustrating certain parts of the mechanism in different positions. Fig. Sisa det-ail in plan and elevation of a fragment of the folding jaw and the. spring for pressing same.

for giving its travel to the Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate by way of example one embodiment of the invention, suit-able means for directing the material through, the ma-v chine are provided. The illustrated form' thereof comprises suitable feed and guide rolls l, guide ngers 2, rolls 3 and fingers` or plates 4. 'The piesent embodiment is further shown adapted to operate upon a web fed thereinto from a rotary printing press, or other suitable source of supply,V4 and there are.- shown in operative relationlfwith the web cutting cylinders 5 YORK, ASSIGNOR.TO GOSS PRINTING PRESS j S, .A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Pate11tedpL23, 1912.; i

ably mounted upon the machine frame.`

These cylinders are proportioned to provide a sheet of suitable length and may be timed tosever. the sheet from the web substantially at the time that it is engaged by the folding devices. Suitable folding devices are provided. The invention in certain of its aspects contemplates,

in' combination with other fea-` l tures as specified by the claims, folding de- A vices including a plurality of sets of traveling folding jaws, and in certain aspects con* Vtemplates also that they reciprocate to and from receiving and delivering positions. In certain of its features the invention contemplates further that the sets of jaws rslecipro-av cate in fixed relation with respect to eachother. fore, includes said features and others to be generally set forth hereinafter, togetherA with features which will appear from the detailed description and the appended claims.

In the present embodiment a set. of jaws j 7 is shown which are yieldably held by suite. able means in a closed position. The set of jaws is shown comprising a fixed jaw 8 and a movable jaw 9 spring 91. Said set of jaws is further shown mounted upon a support-ing frame or crosshead 10, carried upon the machine Suitable means set of jaws are provided and the illustrated form thereof frame.

'.85 The illustrated embodiment, therev acted upon by a suitableupon ways 11 supported" comprises levers 12 pivoted upon the frame j of the machine and connected by suitabley links 13 to the carriage or cross-head 10. Links 14 are shown the levers 12 and to cranks l5 carried by a connected pivotally to suitable shaft 16 mounted in the frame of the machine and driven in any suitable manner, as forA instance by a gear trainll?. l It riages or cross-heads 10 will thus be seen that the set of jaws 7 is reciprocated toy andy fro between its receiving position and its delivering position as shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. l. Suit-able devices for opening the gripper jaws are provided, and for this purpose the swingine jaw 9 of the gripper 7 is shown provided with a tail '18 adapted to contact with a cam 19 to open the gripper when in thel delivery-position. The tucking blade may fold the sheet into the jaws against their spring, or,iif preferred, devices of any suitable or convenient form may be provided for opening the ljaws'to receive the sheet.

In certain aspects thereof, the invention contemplates providing traveling folding jaws arranged on either side of the path of the material to be folded. Certain features of the invention contemplate also a plurality of such devices arrangedin the same plane. Accordingly there is shown in the accompanying drawings a second set of grippers 20 arranged on the opposite side of the path of the material as it is directed through' the machine. Said set as illustrated comprises likewise a fixed jaw 2l anda swinging jaw up5`a^suitable"carriage or cross-head 2?. Said carriage or ross-headm23 1s arranged chine frame. The swinging jaw 22 is shown as having adtrail 25 adapted to co-act with a cam 26 to open the jaw against its sprinff. To cause the sets of jaws 7 and 2O to move in fixedi'elation, as above indicated, the carvand 23 are shown connected by pieces 27. The two sets of jawsl are thus caused to move together in their travel with the movement of the levers l2 and thei' associated parts, as lilie- Wise appears from Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Means coperating with provided. ln certain of its aspects, the invention contemplates a single device eooperating with each set of traveling or reciprocating jawsto'fold a sheet thereinto. Also, the invention conten'lplates, in accordance with certain features thereof, providing va device traveling' to and fro transversely of the patlrof the material to cooperate first with one vset of folding jaws and then' with the other,l and so as to 'pass from one side to the other-of the material after `each successive folding and as the material again feeds along,r its path. ln the illustrated-embodiment., accordingly, 4there isv shown mounted intermediately theI sets of jaws 7 and 2() a device 28 for coperating therewith to' tuck the sheets thereinto. Said device is shown adapted to reciprocate upon suitable ways 29 and .provided with `tucketlges 30l and 31. Said ing edges 22 acted upon by a spring (not. shown) similar to spring 91, and mounted the folding de vices to fold or tuck the sheets ther-cinto are' that the reeiproeation of the device or earrier 28 bringseaeh' edge successively into operative relation with its set of jaws. For simplicity of construction the edges may be formed on a lsingle blade and are so shown herein. Suitable means' for reciprocating said mechanism to and fro are provided and as shown in the drawings it is connected by pivoted links 32 with levers 33 mounted upon the frame of the machine. The form of actuating means shown herein for said levers comprises cams 3st driven by suitable means, as for instance gears 35. The cani 34; will be suitably shaped to give .proper movement 'to the folding or tucking device 28, f

"According to one of its features, the invention contemplates providing a folding blade adapted to engage the material and carry it tansversely of its ypath into engagement with the-folding devices and at a kspeed, which compensates for the feed of the straining thereofwhen engaged by the blade or the jaws. `The material-is. tucked into the jaws as they end point of their travel, the blade at that requisite relative movement to -perform the tuclting operation.A The .speed changes gradually as 'the movement of the jaws'iseecelerated and-the blade slips'out It will be understood, therefore, that there are no "abrupt movements, nol checking, slacking or other abrupt or injurious hanscraping of the material over the edge of the blade or other parts of the machine. Exceedingly smooth and harmonious Inovements of both the material and the machine parte:` as well-asv accurate folding of the at high speeds. foregoing are provided, andas part-of -the embodied form thereof the actuating parts for the member 23, the material feeding' devices, the folding jaws andassociated parts are constructed, arranged and timed to effect the functionsand results above set forth. i Suitable receiving devices for receiving Ithe. folded sheets from the grippers may be provided and as shown. herein said means comprise traveling pockets 36 mounted upon theA machine frame and workingf over suitable rolls 37 which may be driven in any desired manner. ln the present embodiment two separate series of' such pockets are shown, arranged on either side of the machine, in operative rela-tion "with the 'res-peetire folding devices.

The manner of operati' in of the herein-de- "alje further shown oppositely arranged, ,so l lows:

scribed mechanism issubstantially as folihe machine will be described as 0pmaterial so that there is` no slackingv orv reiation then (lling of the material, and no rubbing or sheets are thus secured even when running Means .for effecting theV 9G vare moving away from the time moving more rapidly so as to have the of the jaws leavingtlie"foidedsheet therein'. ,f

erating upon a web, although in many of its features' it is equally capable of folding sheets. A web 38 is led through the machine and is fed downwardly along its path tucking device 28 will then bel at one side of the web 38, substantially as shown in Figs. l and 4 of the drawings. About the time that a page length or other fold length has passed the tucking edge, the tucking de-l v vice 28 moving transversely to the path of SliY travel of the sheet or web 38 engages it subst'antially as shown in Fig. 5 and moves it toward and intothe set of folding jaws upon the opposite side of the web, the blade acting to tuck the sheet into the jaws against the pressure of the closing spring, as shown in Fig. 6, The functions and relations of the parts during the folding operation have already been set forth. The cutting cylinders 5 and 6 are properly timed to sever the sheet from the web substantially at the same time that it is engaged by the folding jaws, as will appear from Fig. 7 of the drawings. The folding jaws, actuated by their driving connections, move backwardly and as they reach the delivery position the cam 19 or 26, as the case may be, acts to open its gripper, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 1, to deliver the sheet. It will be understood that as `one set of folding jaws reoedes from itsreceiving position t-o its delivery osition the other set advances from the deivery to the' receiving position. `The tucking device is now at the opposite end of its travel and as the end of the web feeds downward along itspath of travel it now asses along the other side of the tucking evice and between it and the other set of folding jaws. p The tucking device 28 now begins its movement, the opposite tucking edge engaging the material to act upon it again,

`this and the succeeding operations occuring substantially in the manner scribed. t

It will be understood from all the forehereinabove degoing that a machine has been provided constructed in part in accordance with the principles of the invention and illustrating said principles, and that said machine realizes the objects 'of invention and the advantages herein set forth, together with other objects and advantages. y

The inventionin its broader aspects, is Vnot 'limited to the particular constructions shown nor to any particular constructions by whlch it has been or may be carried into effect, asmany changes may be made in the construction without departing from the 'main principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. Afolding machine including in combination, a plurality of sets of traveling The folding or' ing jaws, means acting A fold a sheet thereinto,

nat-ion a plurality folding jaws and a device engaging the ma-4 bination, a plurality of sets of reciprocating folding jaws, means for presenting the material at the place of folding, and a reciprocating device coperating with each set of jaws to fold a sheet thereinto.

3. A folding machine including in com bination a plurality of sets of traveling folding jaws, a folding device reciprocating in a straight path to fold the material into different sets of jaws in succession, and means .for receiving the folded sheets from the jaws. 1 f

4. A folding machine including in comloination a plurality of sets of traveling foldto hold each setof jaws yieldably in the closed position, a device coperating with each set of jaws to tuck a sheet thereinto against said yieldable holding means to fold same and means for opening the jaws to release the sheet.

5. A folding machine including in combination a plurality of sets of traveling folding jaws, reciprocating means cooperating with a plurality of said setsof jaws to and means 'moving independent-ly of the aforesaid means' to j bring the material to the place of folding.

. 6. A folding machine including in combination a plurality of sets of traveling folding jaws for engaging the material to be folded at the fold line only, movable means ooperating with each set of jaws to fold a lsheet thereinto, means unconnected with aforesaid means for conveying and directing the material to the place of folding.

7. A folding machine including in combination, a plurality of sets of traveling foldj ing jaws, a non-rotating device movable into operative relation with a plurality of said sets of jaws to fold a sheet thereinto, and means for opening a set of jaws to release its sheet at a delivery point in the travel of the jaws. j y

8. A folding machine including in-combination, a plurality-of sets of traveling folding jaws, n non-rotating device movable into operative relation with a plurality of said sets of jaws successively to fold a sheet thereinto, and means for opening a set of jaws to release its sheet at a delivery point in the travel of the jaws.

9. A folding machine including in combiof sets of reciprocating terial to tuck it into various sets of jaws successively, said device being disengaged from the material during the feed thereof.

l0. A folding machine including in commatinee bination, a plurality of sets of reciprocating folding jaws, means for presenting the material ai; the place of folding and a reciprocating ldevice coj'ier-ating with each set of jaws successively to fold a sheet thereinto.

11.', A. folding machine including in combinatioii` two sets of folding jaws reciprocating in the saine plane, means for supplying material to the place of folding, and

in means located between said sets of jaws and cooperating with each set to fold a sheet thereinto. A

"12. A folding machine including in combination, two sets of folding jaws recipro- Lt eating in the same plane, means for supplying material to the place of folding, and a tiicking device located between said ljaws and reciprocating in the saine plane therewith to Afold a sheet into one set of jaws and then a sheetl into the other.

13. A folding machine including in coinbnation, a plurality ofsets of folding devices, each set moving hetweenjits own receiving and delivering positions, means for Z5 directing the material/to be folded contigiif ous to the receiving positionsaud means for tucking the material into each set of folding devices successively when in receiving-posintion 'and means at each of said delivering Se positions for receiving the folded sheet'.

Ar folding machine including in eom-K bination, a plurality of sets of folding jaws, each set moving between its own receiving and delivering positions, means for direct- 3o ing' the material to be folded contiguous to the receiving positions and means for tucking the material into each set of folding jaws successively when in receiving position and means at each of said' delivering positions lf3 for receiving the folded sheets.

15. A- folding machine iucliuling in combination. a. plurality of sets of folding jaws reciprocating iii fixed relation between a receiving position and a delivering position,

t and'means for tucking a sheet into each set of i jaws when in receiving position and ine-ans at each of said delivering positions for receiving the folded sheets.

1G. A folding machine including in coin- 5@ bination, two sets of folding jaws reciproeating in ,tixed relation between a receiving position and a delivering position, and means located between said sets of jaws for tiieking a sheet into cach set when in the recciving position and means at eacli'of said delivering positions for receiving the folded sheets.

17. A folding machine including in coml bination, two sets of folding jaws reciproeating in fixed relation between a receivingposition and a delivering position, jand means located between said'sets of jaws and rcciprocal'ile to tuck va sheet. into oncset ot' jaws and then into the other` when in the recci-ving position and mains at each of said delivering positions for receiving the folded sheets.

18. A folding macliineiincliiding in coinbination, a plurality of sets of folding jaws traveling in fixed relation, a device for tiieling a sheetinto each set of jaws successively, f

and a device for each. set of vjaws for receiving the folded sheets therefrom.

19` A folding machine vincluding in conibination, a plurality of sets of traveling folding jaws, means for presenting the material at the place of folding, a device provided withl a plurality of tuckingedges, and means for reciprocating said device to cause one tucking edge to tuck a sheet into one set of jaws and another tucliing edge. to tuck a sheet into another set of jaws. i i

Q0. Afolding machine including in coinbination, two sets of reciprocating foldingV jaws, means for presenting the material at sev the place of folding,a devicevlocated-hetween said sets of jaws andl having oppositely arranged folding'edges, one edge c0- operating with one set of jaws and theiother edge with the othersetof jawsto fold a sheet thereinto. i

21. A folding machine including in combination, two sets of reciprocating folding` jaws, means for feeding a material t0 be folded between said sets of jaws, and a device, having two oppositely larranged-tuck- .ing\edges,-a-ndleipiocating transversely ofA the path of the inateiiii'tto-tnck it 'with 4'one 'of said tiicking edges into one'set of jaws- -and then with the other edge into the other 2Q. A folding machine includingl in conihination, two sets of reciprocating fol-ding.

jaws, means for feeding a material to be folded between said sets of jaws, and a device traveling transversely of the path of the material to tuck it into each set of jaws successively. Y

23. A folding machine including in combination, two sets of traveling folding devices, means for directing a material to be folded along a path between said sets ofA devices. and a device traveling transversely to said lpath to fold the material into each of said devices successively.

24. il.' folding machine including in coin-l bination means for feeding the material to be folded, a folding device located beside the path of the material to be folded, and means bination means for feeding. the iiiatei'ial to he folded,- folding jaws located beside the means for said blade by which the speed of the blade compensates for the feed of the material so that there is no slipping of the material over the blade during said trans verse movement.

26. A folding machine including in combination, two sets of traveling' folding ja'ws spaced apart, means for directing a web of material between said sets of jaws,means for severing the material into sheets, and means movable t'ansversely to the path 'of the material to engage it on one side to move it Y .from its path and tuck it intoone 'set' of jaws and so as to be positioned on the 'opposite side of the material as it again feeds along its path.

27. A folding machine including in combination,t\vo .sets of traveling folding jaws spaced apart, means for directing the material to be folded between said sets of jaws, and means movable transversely to the `path of the material to engage it on one side to move it from its path and tuck it into one set. of jaws and so as to be positioned on the opposite side of the material as itv again feeds along its path.

28. A folding machine including in combination, means for directing the material to be folded through the machine, a plurality of sets of folding jaws traveling to and from the material on opposite sides thereof, means for presenting the material at the place of folding and means for tucking the material into one set of jaws and then into another,

29. A folding machine including in combination, means for directing the material to be folded through the machine, a plurality of sets of folding jaws movable to and from the material on opposite sides thereof, means for tucking the material into one setvof jaws and then into another, and means for serving the material intermediately the folded points.

250. A folding machine including in combination, means for directing a web through the machine, a plurality of sets of folding jaws traveling to and from the web on opposite sides thereof, a tucking device reciprocable across the path of the web to tuck it into one set of jaws and then into another, .and cutters for severing the web.

31. A. folding machine including in combination, meansl for directing a web of material through the machine, two sets ofY folding jaws arranged in the same plane on either side of the web and reciproeable to and from the web, a reciprocating tucliing device traveling across the path of the ma* tcrial lotuek it into one set of jaws and then into the other set, and eut-ting devices for severing the folded parts from the web.

32. A folding machine including the com,- bination, means for directing a web of material downwardly through the machine, ro-

tary cutters, two sets of folding jaws arranged in the same plane on either side of the' web and reciprocable to and from the web, a reciprocating tucking device traveling across the path of the material to tuck it into one set of jaws and then into the other set, and receiving means arranged at either side of the machine to receive the folded sheets from the respective folding jaws.

A folding machine including in combination, means for feeding material to be folded, a reciprocating tueking blade moving transversely to the path of tra'vel of the material at a speed which compensates for the feed of the material, folding jaws for receiving the material from said blade while moving in the same direction, and means for moving said parts. u

34. A folding machine includingr incombinalion, means for feeding material to be folded, folding jaws reciproeable toward and a way from said material and a folding blade for ing the material into said jaws while `they are so moving away.

85. A folding machine including in combination, means for directing a web of material through the machine, two sets of folding jaws reciprocable in the same plane and in lixed relation with respect. to each other, said sets of .jaws being arranged on either side of the path of the web, a folding dcvice having two edges reciprocating across the path of the web at a speed to compensate for the feed of the web to engage and tuel;

it into each set of folding jaws in succession,

web severing devices, and sheet receiving means for each set of jaws.

36. A folding machine including in coinbination a plurality of sels of reciprocatingr folding jaws, means for tucking a web of material into a plurality of the sets of jaws successively, and means for severing the material between the supply and said tucking means and between each successive fold.

37. A folding machine including in combination a plurality of sets of traveling folding jaws engaging the i-natcrial only at the line of fold, a movable device cooperating with each set of jaws to fold the material thereinto, means for directing the material to the place of folding, and means for cutting the material, said directing and cutting means acting on the material before it reaches the place of folding.

38. A folding machine including in combination means for feeding the material to be folded along a pl1, a set of traveling folding jaws at one suie of said path, another set of traveling folding jaws on the other side of said path, 'said sets of folding Jaws being presented alternately, contiguously to the path of travel of the material, a folding blade passing to and fro across the path of `the materialto be folded to fold-said matesets Aof folding jaws being presented alternately, contiguously to lthe path of travel of the material, folding blade passing to and fro across the path-of the material to be folded to fold said material llrst into one set of folding aws and then into another.

,40. A folding machine including in com- 1 -bination means for feeding from a web the "Aa material to be\folded along a path, means for severing tue n'zatcrial-into sheet lengths,

a set of folding jaws reciprocati'g`o rd.

and from the material to lie folded, another set of folding reciprocating toward and from the material to be folded on tho other side of said path, said sets of folding jaws being presented alternately contiguously to the path of travel of the material, a folding k blade passing to and fro across the path of the material to be folded to fold said material first into one set of folding jaws and then into another. i l v lll. A folding machine including in combination means for feedinga web of mate` rial to be folded along` a path, a setvof folding devices on one side of said path of travel of the material, a of folding dey,

vices on the other .side of of the mater y a foi to and fro intei mitteilt g travel to tucl: the i `:id path of travel L, )lade traveling crois said path of to one of said folding devices and :'ernL-iaing restfor a l the path of travel until another sheet Y period to permit the material to be )fed along its path of travel past said blade, preparatory to being tucked into the other folding device upon the nextmovement of the of said path reciprocating between a point! contiguous to said path and a place of de` livery, a folding device at the other side of said path of travel reciprocatingbetween a point contiguous to lsaid path of travel and .a place of delivery, and a folding blade reciprocating across said path of travelof the material to fold a sheet into one of said folding devices and remaining upon that-sidehof as been'fed past saidblade. i 43. A folding machine including in combination means for feeding a web substantially vertically downwardl along a path of travel, means for severing the Web into shcbt'lenvt. s,arfolding device at one side of said path reciprocatingbetween a point contiguous to said path and a place of delivery, a folding device at theother side of said path of travel reciprocating bet-Ween a point contiguous to said path of travel 'and a place :of delivery, and a folding blade reciprocating across said path of travel of the mate- .rial to fold a sheet into one of said folding devices and remaining upon that side of the path of travel until another sheet has been fed past said blade.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of tivo subscribing Witnesses.

RALPH C. SEYMOUR. Vllitnesses: l Y* i JOHN D. MORGAN, KATHARINE SEXTON. 

